Heckfire and dog my cats! We got us a brand, spanking new series (a spanking! A spanking!) (Calm down, Mike). Y’ever notice how sometimes a big blockbuster movie comes out? Nah, me neither. Kidding, kidding, of course you have; but have you also noticed that when such a movie comes out, right on its heels comes another movie (or movies) that are, shall we say, suspiciously similar in style, genre, and sometimes outright content? Ever notice that such movies come out with suspicious speed compared the release of the blockbuster? Well, you’re not alone! You have us! You’ll always have us! We’re with you forever and ever and ever and ever . . .
Ahem. Where were we . . . ah, yes, our new series! We’re calling this one “… But An Incredible Simulation” and we’ll be watching several pairs of movies; the first will be the actual blockbuster, followed by the . . . tribute? Homage? Shameless rip-off? You decide; we’ll help! We’re starting off with a bang. Actually, several bangs, a lot of booms, and a whole bunch of “BLAAARRGGHHHHHAAAAA!” (that’s exactly how it looks in the subtitles) in 2013’s “Pacific Rim.” We’ve got giant monsters! Giant robots! Giant Idris Elba’s! Ok, he’s regular sized but he’s a giant on screen! And a regular sized Ron Perlman! How can we go wrong?! How indeed . . .
Poll question: what is your favorite giant monster movie? Not just the monster, but the specific movie.
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I love the idea of this series! I would say I liked Pacific Rim because of how it embraced silly monster movie science and ideas with no effort to try and make any of it sound realistic.
My favourite monster movie is a landmine of a question! I like quite a few and for different reasons but the original King Kong is hard to beat even today. The way it unfolds, the use of effects and the amazing way it makes you relate to a stop motion puppet as a real character you actually care about after finding it terrifying at first. A newer film might be an honourable mention. “The Host” was such a refreshing departure in many ways from western monster movies in terms of characters… there isn’t really a hero, the family involved is the here really and the monster is shown fully in afternoon sun and really doesn’t disappoint. It also has a dopey “pollution somehow made a horrible creature in a pretty short period of time” explanation which was a modern twist on the nuclear radiation explanations we saw in the 50s as the excuse to bring a monster to the screen.
To be perfectly frank, Pacific Rim is my favorite giant monster movie for sheer spectacle, so I was incredibly happy to see you cover it this past week!
Vince, nee Snowy, mentioning The Host brings back fond memories of that movie, which I also loved–though as he says it’s almost an anti-monster movie.
I cannot wait for Atlantic Rim.
The original Japanese version of Godzilla is amazing and I love it and watch it every couple of years. It was a close second to King Kong for me. BTW the iron version of this weeks film is “Pacific Rim Job” I am told. It seemed an open question that desperately needed to be answered. I know people who were too confused by the Host, they couldn’t understand having no clear single hero for some reason. The effects are great in it! I am happy it is not just me who loved it!